"The Future Looks Viral" is a weekly series where we profile the people behind an innovative, new online project, be it a parody Twitter account, web series or artsy Instagram profile. They all have one thing in common: the potential to go viral.
As the old saying goes, "A picture is worth 1,000 words." I hate to use an old cliche here, but that's actually the case with freelance graphic designer Cameron Morrison's fun, eye-popping and kitschy illustrations.
Morrison's graphic art has a distinct style in which he uses words to form the figures of famous characters from movies and TV shows. At first glance, Morrison's bold illustration of a Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars looks exactly as it's supposed to. But look more closely, and the image becomes more than just a pleasing sight for the eye. As you make out the words "New Hope," "Stormtrooper" and "Star Wars" hidden in the helmet, the image takes on a life of its own as something like a treasure hunt.
"I use words in unusual, but moulded forms to convey more meaning," Morrison, who lives in Melbourne, Australia, said in an interview with T-Lounge via email. "My art is like Where's Wally [known as Where's Waldo in the United States] but where's the hidden words. I love when people try to read every word they see."
On Dec. 1, Morrison, whose full-time job is working with special needs children, took his unique brand of art to the next level. He kicked off a special project called the December of Typography in which he will create one illustration every day during the month of December. The inspiration for the series came from the influx of suggestions for what pop culture characters Morrison should create next from his Instagram followers. His Instagram page serves as his gallery, so far featuring works for this project that run the gamut of pop culture from Captain Jack Sparrow to the Terminator to Katniss Everdeen.
Morrison credits pop culture as a big part of why he became an artist. Growing up, movies like Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and Ghostbusters helped spark his imagination then and continues to be a main inspiration for his work.
"Pop culture is everywhere, everyone has something that they love from movies, books, TV, etc.," Morrison said. "Pop culture is just recognised and so many people can relate to it."
